Tandem-spring draft-rigging for railway-cars.



PATBNTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

J. F. OCONNOR.

TANDBM SPRING DRAFT RIGGING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@Vinum PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

J. F. O'CONNOR. TANDEM SPRING DRAFT RIGGING POR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Aff/f. (avv/70x".

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. H. MINER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TANDElVI-SPRING DRAFT-HIGGINS FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed Jun@ 2, 1905- Serial No. 263.361. I

T all 1,071,077?! it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tandem-Spring Draft-Rigging for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in tandem-spring draft-rigging for railway-cars.

The object of my invention is to provide a tandem-spring draft-rigging of a simple, efiicient, strong, and durable construction and composed of few parts, in which both springs will be compressed under both pulling and bufling strains and in which the customary intermediate stop or shoulder on the side plates or stop-castings may be dispensed with', as well as the intermediate Aabutment-block on the draw-bar strap or yoke.

My invention consists in the means I employ to practically accomplish this object or result-that is to say, it consists, in connection with the draw-bar and a draw-bar strap or yoke, side plates orV stop-castings having each front and rear stops only, a pair of tandem-arranged springs, a front follower bearing against the front end of the front spring, a rear follower bearing against the rear end of the rear spring, of a pair of intermediate followers between the adjacent ends of the two springs adapted to slide in respect to each other and furnished with intel-fitting telescoping legs, those on the front intermediate follower adapted to bear against the rear follower and those on the rear intermediate follower adapted to bear against the front follower, so that the one is held stationary in buiiing while permitted to slide in pulling, and the other is held stationary in pulling and adapted to slide in respect to the other in buff- 1ng. i

My invention also consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming` a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical longitudinal section, of a tandem-spring draft-rigging ernbodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in horizontal section. Fig. 3is a crosssection on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the intermediate sliding telescopic-legged followers.

In the drawings, 'A represents the center sills or longitudinal frame-pieces of a car, to which the side plates or stop-castings are attached, A/ the front or end sill, and A2 the carry-iron. B is the coupler, B the drawbar, and B2 the draw-bar strap or yoke, secured to the draw-bar in the usual manner. C c and Cl c are the tandem-arranged springs ofthe draft-rigging. D D are the side plates or stop-castings, each having a front stop Z and a rear stop 0l. E is the front follower, and E the rear follower. All these parts are or may be of the customary or any suitable or desired construction.

F and F are two intermediate sliding telescopic-legged followers, both preferably exact duplicates of each other. The front intermediate follower F is furnished with integral legs or extensions f, which abut at their rear ends against the rear follower E', and thus hold the said intermediate follower F stationary in buing, and the rear intermediate follower F has similar legs f', which abut against the front follower E, and thus hold said rear intermediate follower F/ stationary in pulling. The intermediate follower F has longitudinal grooves or open spaces 7"2 to receive the legs f of the rear intermediate follower F, and in like manner the rear intermediate follower F has longitudinal grooves or open spaces f3 to receive thelegs f of the other intermediate follower F. The legs f f of the two intermediate followers F F thus interit with each other, those on the one fitting between those on the other. rIhe intermediate follower F is furnished with two sets of longitudinal legs and grooves f f2, one on each side thereof, there being three legs in the set on one side and two legs in the set on the other side, the legs of each set being one above another and having their faces parallel to each other, and the other intermediate follower F, likewise has two sets of longitudinal legs and grooves f f3 on each side thereof, the legs of each set being arranged one above the other and with parallel longitudinal faces. By this cooperative construction and arrangement of the two intermediate followers with their interftting legs and grooves arranged in two sets or series, one on each side of each follower, the two intermediate IOO followers together present a rectangular outline in cross-section, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and fill the space between the side plates or stop-castings D D, thus adding materially to the compactness and strength of the structure as a whole. In bufling, the legs f on the rear intermediate follower F' by their abutment with the front follower E cause the rear spring to be compressed,while the legs f on the front intermediate follower F hold said front intermediate follower F stationary,A

thus causing the front spring to be also simultaneously compressed in buiing. In pulling, the operation is the same, but the reverse, the rear follower E now causing, through the legs f on said front intermediate follower F, said follower F to compress the front spring C, while the legs f on the rear intermediate follower F causing said rear intermediate follower to be held stationary, and thereby causing the rear spring C to be also compressed in pulling.

The front intermediate follower F is provided with a recess or cavity f4 to receive the rear end of the front spring C, and the rear intermediate follower' F' is furnished with a similar recess or cavity f to receive the front end of the rear spring C'.

G is a movable tie-plate or guide which supports the draftrigging and upon which the draw-bar strap reciprocates. It is secured to the side plates or stop-castings or to the center sills by bolts g. By removing this tie or guide plate the draft-rigging may be readily removed.

I claiml. In a tandem-spring draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar and draw-bar strap, of side plates or stop-castings having front and rear stops,tand em-arranged springs, a front follower bearing against the front end of the f-ront spring, a rear follower bearing against the rear end of the rear spring, front and rear intermediate followers furnished each with two sets of parallel-faced longitudinal legs and grooves, one on each side thereof, the legs of each set being one above another, and the legs of each intermediate follower interfitting with those of the other, the legs on the front intermediate follower bearing against said rear follower, and the legs on said rear intermediate follower bearing against said front follower, substantially as specified.

2. In a tandem-spring draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar and draw-bar strap, of side plates or stop-castings having front and rear stops, tandem-arranged springs, a front follower bearing against the front end of the front spring, a rear follower bearing against the rear end of the rear spring,

front and rear intermediate followers furnished with intertting legs, the legs on the front intermediate follower bearing against said rear follower, and the legs on said rear intermediate follower bearing against said front follower, each of said intermediate followers having a cup or recess for the spring bearing against the same to fit in.

3. In a tandem-spring' draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar, draw -bar strap,front and rear followers,tandem springs, side plates furnished with front and rear stops, and a pair of sliding or telescoping intermediate followers furnished each with two sets of parallel-faced longitudinal legs and grooves, one on each side thereof, the legs of each set being one above another, and the legs of each intermediate follower interiitting with those of the other, the legs on the front intermediate follower extending to and bearing against said rear follower, and the legs on the rear intermediate follower extending to and bear ing against said front follower, substantially as specified.

4. In a tandem-spring draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar and draw-bar strap, of side plates or stop-castings having front and rear stops, tand em-arranged springs, a front follower bearing against the front end of the front spring, a rear follower bearing against the rear end of the rear spring, front and rear intermediate followers furnished each with two sets of parallel-faced longitudinal .legs' and grooves, one on each side thereof, the legs of each set being one above another, and the legs of each intermediate follower interfitting with those of the other, the legs on the front intermediate follower bearing against said rear follower, and the legs on said rear intermediate follower bearing against said front follower` and a guide or tie plate fitting underneath the drawbar strap to support the draft-rigging, substantially as specified.

5. In a tandem-spring draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar and draw-bar strap, of side plates or stop-castings having front and rear stops, tandem-arranged springs, a front follower bearing against the front end of the front spring, a rear follower bearing against the rear end of the rear spring, front and rear intermediate followers furnished with interfitting legs, the legs on the front intermediate follower bearing against said rear follower, and the legs on said rear intermediate follower bearing against said front follower, each of said intermediate followers having a cup or recess for the spring bearing against the same to fit in, and a guide or tie plate fitting underneath the drawbar strap to support the draft-rigging', substantially as specified.

6. In a tandem-spring draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar, draw-bar strap,front and rear followers, tandem springs, side plates furnished with front and rear stops, and a pair of sliding or telescoping interme- IOO IIO

IIS

against said Jfront follower, and a guide or IO tie plate fitting underneath the draw-bar strap to support the draft-rigging, substantially as specified.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Witnesses:

PEARL ABRAMS, H. M. MUNDAY. 

